Soft & Chewy M&M Spring Cookies

It’s been a bit since I’ve been in the kitchen, so whipping up these soft and chewy cookies was quite the treat for me and my family! The kids have loved to help me bake since they were teeny tiny and this day was no different. So as the sun shone brightly outdoors and the open windows brought in a cool breeze, we got busy. This recipe is super easy and you could even add your own little spin, such as white chocolate chips or funfetti sprinkles—you decide! We used spring colored M&M’s, and followed this recipe to a tee!

Here’s what you need and hopefully you have in your pantry:

• 1/2 cup butter

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/4 cup white sugar

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 2/3 cup flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

• 1/2 to 1 cup pastel M&M candies or candies preferred

And here’s how to make them:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Place parchment paper on top of baking sheets (or set aside un-greased baking sheets)

• Add butter to a microwave dish and microwave for 25 seconds or more until butter is partially melted, like 1/2 of the butter should appear melted while the other half still looks like a melted butter stick.

• Add the sugars (brown and white) to a large mixing bowl with the partially melted butter and stir well to combine.

• Next, beat in the egg and vanilla until just combined.

• Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until just combined.

• Add in your candies of choice (I just used a 1c. measuring cup and then gently stirred with our standing mixer. Don’t over beat or stir though)

• Use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons) to scoop out 12 cookies or use a medium sized cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoons) for 18-20 cookies and arrange them evenly on baking sheet .

• Bake for 10 minutes for medium sized cookies and 13-15 minutes for larger cookies. Cookies will still be slightly underdone when you remove them from the oven. Make sure not to over bake for soft and chewy cookies. Cookies will not spread much while baking. (I followed this precisely and ten minutes was the perfect amount of time!)

• Let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before eating. Allow cookies to cool completely before storing in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days.

The kids have been enjoying these as an after dinner treat. It’s too bad we aren’t really supposed to share food or common spaces with people, because we would have loved to share with neighbors! I guess it means more for me though, so I won’t complain too much ;) I highly, highly encourage you to make these. Treat yourself to a moment on your deck or porch, cookie in hand. Stay well, friends and happy baking!

My Mama's Famous No Bake Cookies!

Do you have a cookie that is your childhood staple? I have several, but one of them is my mom’s famous Chocolate No Bakes. I was always fascinated at the simplicity of not BAKING a cookie [okay truthfully, it still fascinates me?] and hers always turned out SO GOOD.

Except one time, when my dad made a batch. He put four teaspoons of cocoa in when it was supposed to be Tablespoons. We wondered what in the world happened and why they weren’t chocolatey and then he realized ooooohhhhhh, not nearly enough cocoa! [I love you, Dad!]

These cookies are the perfect blend of good texture, sweetness, and chocolate. Fun fact, I argued with my husband NUMEROUS times about how putting peanut butter in a Chocolate No Bake would NOT be good. And then he showed my mom’s recipe which low and behold, calls for 1/2 cup of peanut butter. (Remember, my MOM used to make these, not me. Sorry, Mom!)

So here’s watcha do, Y’all:

Get your ingredients.

4T Baking Cocoa
2 cups of Sugar
1/4 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup of milk
3 cups of oatmeal
1/2 cups of peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Boil the cocoa, sugar, butter and milk together for 1 minute. Take off heat and add the oatmeal, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir quickly, and drop by large spoonfuls on waxed paper. Then cool completely.

Our kids were equally fascinated by this type of cookie and it was pretty adorable. “I want to taste the dough!” they said. I explained that this dough was different and at first, they protested, “No! I like the regular dough, normal dough!” and then they got a big spoonful of the delicious chocolate goodness :) They were completely sold!

Pierson is in a stage where he thinks it’s REALLY funny to not smile for pictures; or to make ME laugh instead of him smiling. And Reese is the most animated extroverted child I’ve ever met. But that’s beside the point. These kids are pretty wonderful and so is my husband, who really is the one who pretty much made these cookies….(Thanks, Babe.)

Do you like Chocolate No Bakes? If so, PLEASE try this recipe. My mom gave me a recipe box for my wedding and I love being able to refer back to my childhood favorites, such as this!

Time for Cookies!!! Super Yummy Maple Chocolate Chunk

The kids have been asking me for a couple of weeks, "Can we bake cookies??" Last week I was in a super anxious and frusterated mood and I decided to whip through our Lazy Susan to see what ingredients we had. Why I choose to bake with two very small children when I am not in the greatest of moods is beyond me, however, I will admit that about half way through I started to cheer up and feel calm again. (Thanks, kiddos, for putting up with your mama!) 

I went to my Pinterest 'Sweets' board and found a recipe I had never made before: Ooey-Gooey Chewy Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies. I've never used maple syrup in cookies (have you??) but it is a genius idea! Most of the sweetness came from the syrup, as only 1/4 cup is required of granulated and brown sugar. 

If you're in the mood for a very SOFT cookie filled with chocolate chunk goodness, this is the cookie you should make. Here's what you need, my only adaption is that I didn't use the maple extract because we didn't have any:

• 6 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons maple extract or maple flavor
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plus 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dark chocolate, cut into large chunks

I followed Broma Bakery's instructions exactly, and I don't recommend swaying from them! She was spot ON about the ten minutes of bake time. Yes, they DO look way underdone, but after sitting on the baking sheets for ten more minutes after they're out, they are literally perfect. 

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two cookie sheets and set aside.
2. In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Add in egg, maple extract, vanilla extract, and salt, and beat for an additional minute. Pour in flour and turn the mixer to its lowest speed, working in the flour only until it incorporates.
4. Remove from mixer and fold in chocolate chunks. Use a 2 ounce cookie scoop to scoop cookies onto prepared cookie sheets.
5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to sit on the baking sheet, untouched, for 10 minutes. They will continue to cook and crisp up around the edges during this time.
6. Once the cookies have sat for 10 minutes, you can remove them from the cookie sheet and serve!

The SOFTEST Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Leave it to Instagram to come up with a TOLL option in their stories feature, and y'all know me, I HAD to try it. Needless to say 96% of my viewers said YES to wanting the recipe [I want to know who the 4% no's were!!!] But it was a fun toll regardless and a new way to incorporate feedback into what I do.

These were by far, the best pumpkin cookies I've ever had to date. Come fall, I will NEVER turn down pumpkin [except maybe really weird stuff, like, did you know pumpkin flavored Doritos are/were a thing?!?! WHY!?!] My husband actually baked these so I can take ZERO credit other than photographing them, writing this, and eating almost all of them.... (He found the original recipe here, on Averie Cooks blog.) 

I have always loved oats in cookies, and while I don't love oatmeal RAISIN, I DO love a good oatmeal chocolate chip. We decided to give these a whirl on a Sunday afternoon and guys, you have to find time asap to try these for yourself.  This cookie is oozing in nothing but fall flavors, because you can never go wrong with molasses and pumpkin pie spice. 

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 TBS mild or medium-flavored molasses (not blackstrap, too intense)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla or pumpkin pie spice extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned whole-rolled oats (not quick-cook or instant)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (a mixture of cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg if you don’t have pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl
2. Add the pumpkin puree, sugars, molasses, vanilla, pumpkin pie extract and whisk thoroughly to combine until smooth
3. Add oats, pumpkin pie spice, flour, and salt. Stir until combined. 
4. Add the chocolate chips and stir. 
5. Use a large cookie scoop and form 13 equal sized mounds of dough and flatten just slightly. 
6. Add the mounds on a large tray, cover with plastic wrap and cool in fridge for at least three hours [this was the hard part because I am guilty of just wanting to eat the dough!!!!!!!!!!]
7. Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with wax paper or spray w/ cooking spray
8. Place mounds of dough 2 inches apart and bake for 12-14 minutes or until the tops are set (even if they look slightly undercooked or pale--do NOT over bake!] 
9. Cookies will firm up as they cool, so allow them to cool for about ten minutes before serving. 

Fall is just beginning, guys, so seriously, if your pantry is lacking in these ingredients, I suggest you fix that immediately. This is the first of many desserts I plan on making [normally I AM the one who bakes], but I won't complain one bit if my husband wants to continue whipping bad boys like these up. These oatmeal pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are chewy, soft, and perfectly delicious! Great...now I'm going to get another [which will be my third today............] :)